Warehouses
by KINGBakurayoufools
Summary: Malik explains to Anzu his reason for doing this his own way during Battle City. The facade he wears in front of his rare hunters has her in fear for her life.  How is this love? Disclaimer: I own nothing again D:


Shouts within the warehouse district were muffled by insulated walls, and the loud clutter of construction machines outside drowned everything being said out in the all too trusting sounds of forklifts and jack hammers.

Rare hunters surrounded the area with duel disks in hand, and just in case the passerby dared be defiant and not comply with their demands, there were plenty of chains and crates to seal anyone away for a long period of time.

Within the warehouses, Anzu screamed, dodging a glass cup as it broke on the wall beside her. She trembled in fear, covering her mouth as Malik shouted "WHAT WOULD _YOU_ CARE, ANYWAYS? You CAN'T tell me you love me after what I did to you!"

Anzu backed into a wall, glaring as she waved her arm in front of her, pointing at him before saying "I DON'T KNOW HOW...but I do, and you can't get mad at me for staying here with you!"

Her voice sent chills of anger down Malik's spine as his eye twitched and he lifted the rod from the wall, breathing hard as pieces of sheetrock fell to the ground in powdered bits of paint.

Malik growled, slamming the rod into the wall again as he hissed, kicking over the table he sat behind just moments ago, glaring directly at Anzu.

By now she had become truly frightened and her eyes widened as she trembled, covering her mouth with her hands as if to prevent herself from speaking anything else to an enraged Malik Ishtar.

"you're a _sick_ girl, Anzu Mazaki!" He shouted "I did that to break your will and here you are making these love confessions! Does that kind of thing get you off? Seeing your friends in danger and being used like a common puppet for my amusement?"

He crossed his arms, then uncrossed them, beginning to pace in his room, grumbling obscenities to himself. He shot a glare up at Anzu before returning his eyes back to the floor, only briefly before he gripped the sides of his head, shouting.

"HOW can you be so shallow? Nothing else explains it, and I read your mind; didn't you have a crush on Yugi? YUGI?"

Anzu glared at Malik, shouting "You had no right to know that to begin with!"

and Malik pointed the rod at Anzu, shouting as he narrowed his eyes "SILENCE your words, girl."

The rod began to glow as Anzu slammed into a wall and Malik shook his head, glaring as he looked up at her.

Anzu was faint red as she struggled to move, and he licked his lips only briefly before turning away crossing his arms.

"I could kill you for your disloyalty to your friends. This is something I don't take lightly, only if it's by your own will...,"

His voice was quieter and distanced as he faced away from her, staring at the nearby mess he'd just created.

Anzu gasped, feeling the grip tighten on her as Malik said "or there's the option of me taking full advantage of such a compromising position, teaching you not to anger me this way... especially while I have this rod at my disposal. I could force you into doing anything I want, and no one would hear your pleas for help where we are. The idea sounds enticing, but unfortunately for me, you may like that more than I would,"

Malik turned around, arms still crossed as he looked Anzu in the eyes before boldy looking over her body, examining every inch of it as she remained stuck to the wall by the rod's force, and he tilted his head, looking into her eyes.

They held complete fear, and the symbol began to glow on his forehead as he held the rod to her face, seeing her thoughts.

Her defiance was great as she looked away, trying her best to resist mind control, but he found her thoughts regardless, and his eyes widened as he found traces of want.

WANT? She _WANTED_ THIS?

Malik growled aloud, striking his palm to his forehead as he turned back around, saying to her "I despise you already, Mazaki. I am almost tempted to kill you... would you like _that_ too?"

Anzu suddenly felt her heart jolt in terror as he grinned, sensing her fear before meeting her eyes again, whispering "I could kill Jounouchi and Yugi... they could try to rescue you from me, and I could lure them here with my group of rare hunters,"

Anzu trembled as her eyes watered and she struggled to speak. A force was pressuring her vocal chords into silence...

Malik licked his lips again as his eyes narrowed and he said "I could set a bomb to the pier, force them to duel one another, and use_ you _as the victim should they forfeit. I could kill you, and watch them prolong their own fates as the timer slowly ticks away. There would only be one key to the chains I'll force them into, and when the time is up, they'll both plummet to the bottom of the nearby port, to rot and decay unseen and unmissed by the public.

Yugi's grandfather would be distraught with the absence of his grandson... Jounouchi's sister would feel absolutely shattered with the loss of her brother, and it's a pity because she would have lived her whole life unable to see him duel,"

Anzu glared at Malik who was now pacing slower, grinning as he looked into the rod, whispering "You can only imagine the things I know about you all because of my rod. _You_, for instance, Mazaki..."

Anzu's eyes widened. Malik placed his palm under her chin, saying as he looked her in the eyes "I know your greatest fear. I know all of your dreams of becoming a dancer, just like I know the things that deppress you and the things that excite you. If I wanted to, I could easily tarnish your thoughts to my favor using psychology and my charisma and ability to manipulate the human mind into believing ANYTHING I see fit.

then afterwords, because you've been a good girl and learned your place,"

His hand touched her neck as she looked away, trembling.

Malik whispered "I could do to you _whatever_ I please while you're here on this wall. I could desecrate your body and show Yugi, crushing his pride as I build his hatred for me. He'll walk blindly into my trap and die there, should my intentional plan not work, and the last thoughts he'll think about are your screams for help as I take advantage of you, touching everything he regards sacred. He_ DOES _have a crush on you, yes?"

Anzu narrowed her eyes, glaring in silence as Malik laughed aloud "but of course he does, he told you. I saw so."

She struggled to move again, glaring roughly as Malik backed away, crossing his arms again.

"Then again, I have no desire to waste my time on such filth. You befriend the pharaoh and the pharaoh's will was the reason for my father's death and the wounds I bear. You take admiration in him when he's the evil one, not me. You don't even know the amount of pain I have lived through because he wanted me to be a tomb keeper, trapping my sister, Rishid and I underground in the darkness, having to bear these scars on us as reminders that our freedom was never real to begin with.

Because of him, Rishid had to be whipped, and because of him, I bled enough to die when I was young. Because of that PHARAOH, my family suffers greatly, and because of him, my clan could die. I have to take his place before he can destroy them...,"

Malik glared at Anzu as she struggled to speak.

He sighed, shaking his head before raising the rod and Anzu hit the ground, weakly falling to her knees.

Malik said "My mind slaves; I want you to see Anzu to her room. no one place a single hand on her or leer at her, or I will have you killed and your families perished. Is that understood?"

A few hunters nodded as they held her at a safe distance in their arms, dragging her from Malik's sight. He watched them escape his room, staring back at the rod as he exhaled, sitting in his chair, defeated.

His plans were running out and Yugi had already proved to be a formidable opponent.

He did have Slifer, after all, and Malik became angry with the acknowledgement.

He had to devise another plan, thinking back to his original idea with the bomb.

Smiling, he grinned as he looked towards a small group of his rare hunters, saying "I'll need a bomb at the West Pier by Domino airport. Is that clear?"

They nodded as Malik grinned, saying "Good. I'll need an anchor and chains, two locks and one key. You'll gather these things by sunset and by tomorrow we'll have them set up. For now, I'll need you to leave my sights. Do as you were told."

The rare hunters left the room in single file as Malik stood, placing the rod in his belt loops.

He followed the path his other hunters took, finding Anzu in her room.

Now they could be alone without the facade of his authority to hide who he really was...

He knew she was beautiful, and he knew his heart was beating for her, but he knew she was sided with the murderer, and he knew that regardless of the awful things he had to do to save his family, nothing would change the fact that he could never bring himself to touch her at her expense.

He cared too much for her, and he did his best to mask it well. He worked hard to keep his blush hidden beneath his anger, and his feelings were shoved in the back of his mind, rejected as he forced himself to think only of what he could do to better his vengeace.

He didn't want to accept how he felt her eyes held a serenity to them he could never find in his own, or how her face was so clear of stress and anguish, and how he envied her because of that.

What was her childhood like? She must have been one of the lucky ones, whose parents treated her like she was their entire world, never in her life feeling the wax of a burning candle sting her flesh in punishment or the heated blade of a knife deel in her skin.

She never held any bruises and her skin was so soft and untouched, unharmed...

Malik caught his heart beating even more as he looked upon her with envy in his heart.

He hated having to be so cruel to someone so different than himself, ruining her perfection with his hatred for the pharaoh.

MAlik hated how his pride had to overcome his emotions all of the time; in fact, he saw as a downfall and felt completely disgusted with himself for the act he put on in front of his mindslaves all to keep his intimidation on high and their fear in check.

They wouldn't dare disobey him now.

Opening the door, Malik stared at Anzu as he kneeled beside her, catching her eyes in his.

She stared up at him in silence as he stared at her, placing one palm on the ground and the other on her cheek.

She froze, eyes watering as she felt him caress her face, thinking of what sickened fate awaited her and her closest friends. Her face turned slight red as she begged herself not to think anymore on it, finding herself hopelessly admiring him against her own will.

Malik caught this and sighed, closing his eyes as he rested his forehead against hers.

Anzu closed her eyes, expecting an insult and an offensuve ravage, lips quivering in fear as she held in her sobs, prepared to endure whatever he was prepared to do...

To her surprise, Malik only whispered "I wish in some way you and I could be in different lifetimes, without the burden of what I have to do to make things right keeping us apart. Maybe you didn't know what Yugi had done to my family... maybe you're too pure for my touch. For my heart to tarnish such beautiful things would be a sin, and for that I could never forgive myself..."

His voice was quiet as he leaned back against a wall, looking to the ground as guilt washed over his features.

Anzu said quietly "I can see your pain..." as she brought her knees to her chest, hugging them for comfort.

Malik looked at her, meeting her eyes. He stared in awe as she blinked, seeing the blue clearly and illuminated by her would-be tears.

He lost his breath, blushing as he leaned toward her, staring at her face in pain...

She said quietly "I know you hurt my friends. I'll never forgive you for that, but I know you believe what you're doing is right, and I understand you. That's why I wanted to tell you earlier, how I felt...

I wish you could see things another way. You could save your family and the pharaoh could live, somehow. He's a forgiving man, Malik... He could help you achieve your goals."

Malik glared as his face twisted in pain, saying sharply "He could never be such things. His traditions turned my father into a monster, and myself into something bitter. I am the human form of all things resentment, all thanks to your wonderful friend, the pharaoh.

He is unworthy for that fact, as you should be to me for your support to him.

Had you any idea what my sister and I have lived through, and what Rishid had to feel because of my faults, you would know Yugi has to die. The answer is simple and there is no avoiding it, their pain will be avenged.

You could never understand me, though, because all of your life, I can tell you've never faced something so horrific.

This could be why I catch myself infatuated with you...,"

Anzu blushed as Malik placed his palm over hers, frowning to the ground. Footsteps sounded from the halls, alerting him as he shut the door to her room.

Anzu felt her hand being squeezed in Malik's as he looked in Anzu's eyes, whispering "You are everything I wished to be and have everything my family and I always deserved, but were never given.

We wanted to live in the light, to feel the warmth of the sun and hear the laughter of people.

We wanted to know true happiness, true love from our parents, but here we are, orphaned. My mother died when I was born and my father... I can't remember the day, but he is dead and I know this is Yugi's fault. He is the reincarnation of the nameless Pharaoh, and the pharaoh's will was that my father be brutally slain.

Any king sadistic enough to choose that fate on his tomb keepers, the most sacred of clans devoted to him, deserves to die.

The reincarnation holds the pharaoh's soul.

If Yugi dies, the pharaoh dies, and my father's soul can rest."

Anzu felt a few tears slip past her eyes as she said quietly "I only wanted to let you know...I can see past your anger, this pain... and I offer my sympathy..."

Malik glared at her, hissing "Save your pity." before feeling his scowl break into a weakened frown again, and he took in a breath, sighing.

The room was silent as they sat on the cement floor, before Malik crawled over to Anzu, meeting her eyes again.

He stared curiously into them, trying to find even the slightest trace of hatred in them for what he had done, but he found himself unable to see anything past her care for him...

Malik closed his eyes, crawling over Anzu's body as he listened to her heartbeat, bringing Anzu's lips to his own.

He wrapped his arms around her as she quietly compromised, pressing her fingertips to his shoulders as he parted her lips, face burning with his broken heart, torn to shreds for what he knew he could never have with her.

She sighed into his lips, kissing him as his hands touched hers and their lips fit perfectly together as he brushed her bangs from her face, squeezing her fingers in his.

Malik felt tears of remorse fill his eyes as they parted, and he tasted her in his mouth, feeling his heart leap from his chest as she tried to catch her breath, face reddened under the shadow of the abandoned room.

She looked so beautiful... everything about her was soft and bright...

Malik felt like a monster.

Staring at eachother, their eyes met as Anzu whispered "We could find a way...to put your father's soul to rest and let my friends live..."

Malik shook his head, closing his eyes.

"I wish I knew another way, for your sake. But sometimes in life, we face painful things that turn us into who we are meant to be. I was meant for this fate as were you and your friends.

I didn't want to be given this life, and you don't want to be given this pain.

Had I any other choice for your sake, Mazaki, I would do all I could to insure your happiness. Believe me when I say my admiration for you goes unquestioned, I find it better not to think too much about it...

But I know what I'm doing must be done.

Forgive me or hate me. I apologize for what I have said and what I must do..."

With those words, Malik walked away, shutting and locking the door behind him. Guilt bore in his chest as he looked into the rooms, seeing Jounouchi facing a corner seemingly broken, and the brother of Seto Kaiba tied to a chair near a stack of cardboard boxes.

He exhaled, whispering "This is for the good in my heart...though I feel it's disentigrating with every move I make..."

Little did he know, the shadow that followed him was nothing more than a demon is disguise, but Malik was blind to it.

His hatred outweighed his sympathy, and his pain surpassed his ability to forgive.

He thought of his father and what he must have gone through... what his ancestors must have done to deserve a life so empty and bleak...so dark and painful...

How could this be honor?

How could so much blood be a tribute?

Malik bit his lip, closing his eyes. Time to think was already spent, he had plans to see through.

This didn't mean Anzu's face wasn't engraved in his mind.

This didn't mean her tears tore through his chest. Malik licked his lips, closing his eyes as he willed himself to become stoic.

He growled, looking down at the rod, seeing all he had accomplished before him, waiting for only one more move.

He wished life was more generous...

This existence was one he refused to bare.


End file.
